1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for scanning ultrasonic beams to a diagnosis site such as a patient""s heart in a three-dimensional manner, thereby acquiring image data in a three-dimensional manner, and displaying the three-dimensional image. In particular, the present invention relates to a modification in ROI (Region of Interest) setting and image display suitable to a case of performing a variety of measurements required for an ultrasound Doppler or examination using a three-dimensional image.
2. Description of Prior Art
In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, ultrasonic Doppler imaging techniques such as Pulse Wave Doppler (PW), Continuous Wave Doppler (CW), Color Doppler Imaging (CDI), and Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) are generally performed. In the case where a variety of measurements required for diagnosis is performed for the image thus acquired, there is generally employed a technique for setting and specifying a desired target position by ROI while watching a two-dimensional image such as B-mode image displayed on a monitor. The technique using ROI in performing such PW, CW, CDI, and TDI or a variety of measurements are constructed while a two-dimensional image is presumed to be processed.
In contrast, in recent years, there is adopted a system for manually or mechanically moving a scan plane of an ultrasonic beam or employing a two-dimensional array probe to electronically scanning ultrasonic beams in real time, thereby spatially scanning the inside of a patient""s body and acquiring three-dimensional physiological information.
In such a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for acquiring and displaying image data in a three-dimensional manner, if a technique employing a ROI constructed on assumption that a two-dimensional image is processed is applied as it is, there will occur a problem that a three-dimensional relative position between the patient""s body and ROI is hardly clarified or ROI cannot be set simply in a three-dimensional manner.
The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned conventional problem. It is an object of the present invention to clearly display a three-dimensional region of interest (ROI) using a two-dimensional image while taking an advantage of a system for acquiring and displaying image data in a three-dimensional manner, and further, to set a three-dimensional position simply.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention comprises: ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave for a diagnostic site of the patient""s body in a three-dimensional manner, thereby obtaining a receiving ultrasonic echo signal; data generating means for generating three-dimensional data based on the ultrasonic echo signal acquired by the ultrasonic wave transmitted and received by the ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means; display image generating means for obtaining ultrasonic images of a plurality of planes with their different orientations based on the three-dimensional image data generated by this data generating means, thereby generating the display image; a region of interest (ROI) setting means for setting a position of the region of interest (ROI); and plane position change means for changing a position of the plane so as to include the region of interest (ROI).
In the present invention, it is possible that the region of interest (ROI) is used for at least one of PW (Pulse Wave), CW (Continuous Wave), M-mode, CFM (Color Flow Mapping), TDI (Tissue Doppler Imaging), and image measurement.
In the present invention, it is possible that a position of the region of the interest (ROI) and a position of the plurality of planes are tracked with each other in real time.
In the present invention, it is possible that a plurality of planes are orthogonal to each other.
In the present invention, is possible that the plurality of planes include a first plane substantially parallel to a scanning line direction of the ultrasonic wave; a second plane substantially parallel to the scanning line direction of the ultrasonic wave and substantially orthogonal to the first plane; and a third plane substantially orthogonal to each of the first and second planes.
In the present invention, it is possible that the region of interest (ROI) setting means comprises a joystick. A lever of this joystick is moved in longitudinal direction, whereby the region of interest (ROI) moves on the first and third planes. The lever of the joystick is moved in horizontal direction, whereby the region of interest moves on the second and third planes. An input section mounted to the lever of the joystick is operated, whereby the region of interest (ROI) can be moved in a direction orthogonal to the third plane.
In the present invention, it is possible that the region of interest (ROI) setting means comprises a trackball. A ball of the trackball is moved, whereby the region of interest (ROI) moves in the third plane. In addition, an input section mounted in the vicinity of the trackball is operated, whereby the region of interest (ROI) moves in a direction orthogonal to the third plane.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave for a diagnostic site of a patient""s body in a three-dimensional manner, thereby obtaining a receiving ultrasonic echo signal; data generating means for generating three-dimensional image data based on the ultrasonic echo signal acquired by the ultrasonic wave transmitted and received by the ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means; display image generating means for obtaining ultrasonic images of a plurality of planes with their different orientations based on the three-dimensional image data generated by the data generating means, thereby generating a display image thereof; plane position change means for changing a position of said planes; and region of interest (ROI) setting means for setting a position of the region of interest (ROI) based on the position of plurality of planes.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: region of interest (ROI) setting means for setting a position of the region of interest (ROI); plane position change means for changing a position of a plurality of planes with their different orientations so as to include the region of interest; and display image generating means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave for a diagnosis site of the patient""s body along the plurality of planes changed by the plane position change means to obtain the ultrasonic images of the plurality of planes, thereby generating a display image thereof.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: a plane position change means for changing a position of a plurality of planes with their different orientations; region of interest (ROI) setting means for setting a position of the region of interest (ROI) based on the position of the plurality of planes; and display image generating means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave for the diagnosis site of the patient""s body along the plurality of planes changed by the plane position change means to obtain an ultrasonic image of the plurality of planes, thereby generating a display image thereof.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave for a diagnosis site of the patient""s body in a three-dimensional manner, thereby obtaining a receiving ultrasonic echo signal; data generating means for generating three-dimensional image data based on the ultrasonic echo signal acquired by the ultrasonic wave transmitted and received by the ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means; display image generating means for obtaining ultrasonic images of a plurality of planes with their different orientations based on the three-dimensional image data generated by the data generating means, thereby generating a display image thereof; setting means for setting a cross line position among the plurality of planes, and plane position change means for changing the position of the planes so as to include the cross line position.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave for the diagnostic site of the patient""s body in a three-dimensional manner, thereby obtaining a receiving ultrasonic echo signal; data generating means for generating three-dimensional image data based on the ultrasonic echo signal acquired by the ultrasonic wave transmitted and received by the ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving means; display image generating means for obtaining ultrasonic images of a plurality of planes with their different orientations based on the three-dimensional image data generated by the data generating means, thereby generating a display image thereof; plane position change means for changing a position of the planes; and setting means for setting the cross line position based on the position of the plurality of planes.
An ultrasonic image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: display image generating means for obtaining ultrasonic images of a plurality of planes with their different orientations based on three-dimensional ultrasonic image data of the diagnosis site of the patient""s body, thereby generating a display image thereof; region of interest (ROI) setting means for setting a position of the region of interest (ROI); and plane position change means for changing a position of the planes so as to include the region of interest.
An ultrasonic image processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: display image generating means for obtaining ultrasonic images of a plurality of planes with their different orientations based on three-dimensional ultrasonic image data of the diagnosis site of the patient""s body, thereby generating a display image thereof; plane position change means for changing a position of the planes; and region of interest (ROI) setting means for setting a position of the region of interest (ROI) based on the position of the plurality of planes.
As has been described above, according to the present invention, a three-dimensional region of interest (ROI) can be clearly displayed by using a plurality of tomographic images (two-dimensional images) while taking advantage of a system for acquiring and displaying image data in a three-dimensional manner. In this manner, there can be provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasonic image processing apparatus in which a position in a three-dimensional space of the region of interest can be clearly displayed in a variety of image modes or measurement, and a three-dimensional region of interest (ROI) can be easily set in a three-dimensional space.